Trinity Episcopal Church
Pawtuxet Village
The First Sunday of Advent
December 1, 2013
10:00 a.m.
Prelude Traditional tunes played by Debbie Kane
Processional Hymn: 56 O Come, O Come Emmanuel (vv. 1,2,5,6)
Leader: Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever. Amen.
Leader: Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
All Sing: Magnificat
My soul gives glory to the Lord, In God my Savior I rejoice,
My lowliness He did regard, exalting me by His own choice.
From this day on, all call me blest, for He has done great things for me,
Of all great names, His is the best, for it is holy, strong is He.
His mercy goes to all who fear, from age to age, and to all parts,
His arm of strength to all is near,He scatters those who have proud hearts
He casts the mighty from their throne, and raises those of low degree,
He feeds the hungry as his own, the rich depart in poverty.
He raised his servant Israel, Remembering his eternal grace,
As from of old he did foretell to Abraham and all his race.
O Father, Son and Spirit blest, in threefold name are you adored,
To you be every prayer addressed, from age to age, the only Lord.
The Collect of the Day
Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Let us pray.
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Lessons
Isaiah 2:1-5
In days to comethe mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above thehills; all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Ohouse of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
Leader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 122
1 I was glad when they said to me,
‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’
2 Our feet are standing
within your gates, OJerusalem.
3 Jerusalem—built as a city
that is bound firmly together.
4 To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord,
as was decreed for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of theLord.
5 For there the thrones for judgement were set up,
the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
‘May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls,
and security within your towers.’
8 For the sake of my relatives and friends
I will say, ‘Peace be within you.’
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your good.
Romans 13:11-14
Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; let us live honourably as in the day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Leader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.
Sequence Hymn: # 640 Watchman Tell Us of the Night
The Gospel
Priest: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Matthew 24:36-44
‘But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
Priest: The Gospel of the Lord. People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon: The Reverend Marsue Harris
Moment for Reflection
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven:by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayers of the People
Lector: In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.
Silence
Lector: For the mission of the Church, that through it we may come to know you, to love you and to serve you. For our Bishops: Justin, Katherine, and Nicholas; for the priests, deacons and laity who seek to do your will, let us pray to the Lord.
People: For all who proclaim the gospel, and all who seek the truth.
Lector: For this community, the nation and the world, for President Obama and those in positions of public trust (congregation adds names) let us pray to the Lord.
People: For all who work for justice, freedom and peace.
Lector: For our enemies and those who wish us harm; and for all whom we have injured or offended, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Where there is hatred, let us sow love.
Lector: For the sick and injured: for Paul, Don, Lexi, Demetra, Sean, Ryan, Don A., Ron, Marilyn, Bob, Scott K., Becky, Raleigh
(congregation adds names) and for those who suffer in mind or spirit, Risen Lord,
People: Hear our prayer.
Lector: For the just and proper use of your creation, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Make us faithful stewards of all that you have given us.
Lector: For refugees from war and natural disasters, remembering especially the persecution and suffering of Christians in the Middle East and the victims of the typhoon in the Philippines (congregation adds concerns) let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord have mercy.
Lector: For the men and women in military service: Michaela, Tom, Chris, John, Kevin, William, Stacy, Michael, Barb, Shane, Tyler, Alyssa, Scott (congregation to add names) and for those who work for non-violent resolution to conflicts, Risen Lord,
People: Hear our prayer.
Lector: For those celebrating birthdays this week: Jeff D’entremont (2), Mike Edwards (6), Patrice Milos-Spalding (6), Jim Richards (7), (congregation adds names) and for those celebrating their anniversary, (congregation adds names) we give thanks to you, O Lord.
People: Look with favor upon them as they begin another year.
Lector: This week we are especially grateful for (congregation adds personal thanksgivings), let us pray to the Lord.
People: Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all that you have done for us.
Lector: For all of blessed memory whom we love and see no longer remembering (congregation adds names) and especially the family of John H. Lane, Esther Avedisian, George Avedisian, and Dorothy Hearth for whom the altar flowers are given, we pray to you, O Lord.
People: Lord, let your loving kindness be upon them who put their trust in you.
CONCLUDING COLLECT
Confession
Leader: Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Leader & People:
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
The Absolution
Priest: Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The Peace
Priest: The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People: And also with you.
Offertory
Choir Anthem “Will We Know Him" (Besig and Price)
Doxology
Sing: Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise him all creatures here below, Praise him above ye heavenly host, Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
The Blessing of the Bread and Wine
Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give God thanks and praise.
Priest: It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Because you sent your beloved Son to redeem us from sin anddeath, and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life; thatwhen he shall come again in power and great triumph tojudge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice tobehold his appearing.
All Sing: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might,
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full, full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.
We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."